Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: A Runaway's Story
by Coral the Leviathan
Summary: He's had it. He's had it with his life. The life full of lies and demands... which he was practically a slave... and wants to be free from. Follow the story of Kurusu Akira, as he gathered the courage to sneak to Satellite and found himself on a path of great hardship and unbreakable friendships... with the Signers.


This was the last straw. He can't take it any longer. There was no way he was going to continue living with a tyrant like him any longer. He had to run.

A young boy ran across the dark streets of Neo Domino City, away from his home, and his drunkard of a father. It had been ten years since he was born, and ten years since his mother had died. Day in and day out, his father constantly blamed him for her death, even though it was because the power went out that fateful night, thus preventing the doctors from having access to the necessary equipments needed to save her.

Unfortunately, his mother was having cancer near his birth, and since she was pregnant, the doctors couldn't do the surgery at the baby's risk. As soon as he was born, the doctors, by his father's 'insistence', got to work for surgery. However, in the middle of the work, it was then 'it' happened. The very thing that caused a split in Domino City into Neo Domino and Satellite.

The boy lost his mother that day, and his father blamed him for it. At first, it was just these glares or disappointed looks, barely speaking a word towards the boy. Then, when he was able to walk and speak, his father made him do all the chores in the house, without any assistance from the adult male. Then, when he was old enough to attend school, his dad would come home drunk and beat the boy. It was just threats, at the beginning. But as time passed, his father punched him, then kicked him, then suffocated him, and then whipped him.

The torture and abuse left bruises all over his body. To hide them, his father had him wear long-sleeved clothes, turtlenecks, and/or a scarf. Whatever couldn't be hidden, mainly on his face, his father dunked him in ice cold water.

Did the boy consider ever going to Sector Security? Of course he had. Unfortunately, his father already threatened to show him what true hell would look and feel like if he had gone to them. Same if he spoke or hinted it out to anyone about his treatment.

The abuse only got worse as time passed. Almost no one noticed a thing about his quiet demeanor, and likewise, he rarely even spoke to any of them. The only time he talked was to answer questions or if he was asked to read something. Even when he was paired with anyone of his classmates, to complete a group assignment, he barely said a word.

Throughout his childhood, there was only one person he can call a friend. Like him, she was also treated as an outsider by, not just everyone at school, but even her own home. The two of them kind of connected the moment she became different from everyone else. Unfortunately, their friendship was not strong enough to help him endure the abuse for much longer. Especially... not after today...

Today was the worst out of all others. To put it in shorter terms... he was on the brink of death, and he found out a secret his father kept from him.

That night, the boy was very actually close to dying. At the same time, though, his life had changed.

After his father left the practically, dying boy to his room, the boy felt his pain lightening. He opened his eyes and saw what seemed like a fairy in a blue skin tight jumpsuit, long blue gloves, and long blue boots looking down on him with a worried expression. At first he thought she was an angel from heaven, coming down to relieve the boy of any more of this pain. Instead, he noticed his wounds and injuries were being healed up by the fairy.

Once he was fully recovered, the fairy flew out of the boy's bedroom, gesturing him to follow her. Though unsure, the child figured she meant him no harm, especially not when she helped him heal up.

When they arrived in the living room, the fairy pointed at a sofa. Or rather, she pointed at what was under the carpet, the floorboard, under it. Using whatever strength he had, the child managed to move the sofa somewhat, rolled the carpet up, and found a loosened part of the floorboard he could move. Hidden there... was a deck of Duel Monster cards. It wasn't just any deck, either; it was a deck... meant for him. How did he know? The deck was wrapped in a ribbon, with a tag that had his name on it. He picked up the deck and was quite surprised to see cards he had never seen before.

All this time, his father blamed him for his mother's death. His mother... whom he never met, but loved him dearly. His father resented his every being, but his mother? She had this deck made... just for him...

It was one thing to abuse him, to blame him for being partially responsible for the death of a person he didn't know. But his father kept away the one thing that would've connected him to his late mother. Not only that, he almost killed him, left him to die. The boy just couldn't lie to himself anymore; he had to get away from here. Far away. Where that abusive adult would never find him.

And so why he was out so late at night. Growing up, he heard of a ship that transports trash to Satellite, the small island that was once a part of Neo Domino, suffering from extensive urban decay, and the residents were all looked down upon by people of the city. While it was a place filled with 'scums' and 'trash' of society, to this boy, it was also a safe haven for him.

Eventually, he made it to harbor, where he saw a ship and garage trucks loading the dumps in the vessel. With the fairy's help, the boy snuck past the many workers and managed to get on board the ship, unnoticed.

It took a few hours, but the second the boat docked on Satellite's port, the boy and his fairy friend snuck off it and made his way around the island.

As the child heard from rumors, Satellite truly did look uninhabitable. It amazed him that people actually live here, and it would amaze him even more if there were any lively children on the island, or any kids at all.

Soon enough, the pair made it to what seemed like an abandoned city. The boy doubted that it would actually be abandoned, but it did look the part.

"Just leave us alone already!" they heard.

The second the voice was heard, the fairy disappeared, and the boy looked and saw some kids younger than him getting ganged up on by some teen thugs. The sight of this reminded him of his abuse, but instead of running away or being frozen in fear, the boy approached the group.

"Hey! Knock it off!" he called.

This got the group's attention, as they turned to the young boy.

"Huh? What's it to you, punk? You with these brats?" one of the teens demanded.

"He's got nothing to do with us!" exclaimed a blonde kid his age. "Hey! You get out of here!"

If this was the boy years ago, he probably would've run. However, he knew so well what may happen if he chose to save himself. After experiencing all that pain with his father, how could he face himself if he let these kids face the same, if not worse, fate he had experienced?

"Bullying... Bullying on those younger than you is cowardly!" he shouted.

"And what are you going to do about it, kid? Duel me? I don't see a duel disk on you," the thug mocked.

"I do have a deck!" the boy took out his deck of duel monster cards for them all to see. "I win, you leave them alone!"

Hearing that intrigued the group of teens.

"You really think you can beat me? Interesting. Someone get him a disk!" As the lead thug gave that order, one of his friends tossed the boy a duel disk right by his feet.

The child picked up the object and inserted his deck in it. Thanks to his childhood friend, he knew how a duel disk is functioned and how to duel. And thanks to the time he had on the boat with his fairy friend, he knew how his deck worked.

"Hope you're ready to lose to the Great Motoyasu!" the thug exclaimed, activating his own duel disk.

"DUEL!" both shouted, drawing their starting hand.

**Motoyasu: 4000 LP  
****Boy: 4000 LP**

"I'll give you this one chance to second guess your decision, boy," Motoyasu told him.

Taking that to mean he goes first, the boy began his move. "Draw." He drew his sixth card. "I set a monster in Defense Mode. Then I set a card face down and end my turn."

Motoyasu let out a fake yawn. "How boring. My turn!" He drew his sixth card and grinned at what he drew. "I summon Great Angus!" Appearing on his field was a pink, muscular, pig-like humanoid monster.

**Great Angus: Level 4/FIRE/Beast/1800 ATK/600 DEF**

"Now I attack your monster!" The monster did as ordered and rushed at the unknown monster set on the boy's field. It threw a punch at the monster, causing the card to flip face-up and reveal a blue-armored knight on a reddish horse with a trident in hand.

**Hierophant Persona - Berith: Level 4/DARK/Warrior/1800 ATK/1600 DEF**

The attack struck the monster. However, despite the difference in power between them, it failed to destroy it.

This confused Motoyasu and the others. "Hey! Did someone give him a broken disk or something? That monster should be gone by now."

"Once per turn, Berith cannot be destroyed by battle," the boy explained, to everyone's shock.

Motoyasu quickly recovered from the shock, a grin back on his face. "No matter. I set one card face-down and end my turn!"

"My turn. Draw." The boy drew his next card. "I activate the Continuous Magic, Third Eye." His Continuous Magic card appeared on the field. "With this card's effect, once per turn, if I control a 'Persona' monster on my field, I can target one set card in my opponent's Spell/Trap Card Zone and call a card type. If I call the card right, that card goes to my field. That set card you have... is a Trap Card."

Motoyasu clicked his tongue at the guess before chuckling. "That's what you think. Trap card, open! Shield Spear! Thanks to this card, a monster on the field gains 400 ATK and DEF! And who better than my monster?!" As the card was flipped face-up, instead of activating, nothing seems to be happening, thus confusing the owner of the card and those watching.

"The card targeted by Third Eye cannot be activated in response to its effect." Until the boy explained why.

"Say what?!"

While the thugs were all shocked at this move, the blond boy and the kids with him were just amazed at his play.

"Whoa, cool! It's like he predicted that to happen!" one of them exclaimed.

"He's so skilled!" another said.

"Thanks for confirming your set card. I'll make good use of it," the boy said to his opponent, as the card got swapped to the other side of the field. "Next, I summon Death Persona - Jack Ripper." Now appearing on the field was a short monster with a skull-shaped pumpkin head in black clothes, holding a butcher knife.

**Death Persona - Jack Ripper: Level 4/DARK/Zombie/2000 ATK/1600 DEF**

"Battle. I attack Great Angus with Jack Ripper. **Tetanus Cut.**" His newly summoned monster charged at the humanoid, muscular pig and gave him a good, clean cut with its knife.

**Motoyasu: 3800 LP  
****Boy: 4000 LP**

"Jack Ripper's effect. When he destroys an opponent's monster by battle, I can add one 'Persona' monster of the same attribute as the destroyed monster's from my deck to my hand. From my deck, I'll add the DARK Attribute Emperor Persona - Eligor." The boy added the said card to his hand. "I end my turn."

It was only the third turn, with 200 Life Points taken away from him, but Motoyasu was quickly being annoyed with his kid foe. "You're going down, brat! My turn! Draw!" He drew his next card. One look and he smirked at the draw. "I activate the Magic Card, Lightning Vortex! At the cost of discarding one card from my hand, all my opponent's face-up monsters are destroyed!" As soon as he sent a card in his hand to the Graveyard, lightning rained down and destroyed the boy's two monsters.

"Oh no! His monsters!" one of the kids gasped.

"Now I Normal Summon Berserk Gorilla!" A brown gorilla appeared on Motoyasu's field.

**Berserk Gorilla: Level 4/EARTH/Beast/2000 ATK/1000 DEF**

"You're finished this turn, brat. Magic card, Double Attack! By discarding 1 Monster Card from my hand, a monster I control of lower Level than it gets to attack twice this turn!" As Motoyasu sent the last card in his hand to the Graveyard, his Berserk Gorilla drummed his chest with a roar, just as ready to finish off his enemy as his duelist.

"Wait! Wouldn't that mean...?" a kid spoke up.

"Oh no!" another child cried out, covering her eyes.

Motoyasu chuckled before declaring, "Battle! Berserk Gorilla! End that kid!" His monster charged at the boy, who remained calm despite the situation.

"From my hand, I activate a monster effect," he spoke. "If a direct attack is declared, I Special Summon the Tuner Monster, Chariot Persona - Agathion from my hand and redirect the attack to him." Now appearing on his field was a yellow vase with what seemed like a blue spirit trapped inside.

**Chariot Persona - Agathion: Level 2/LIGHT/Fiend/1100 ATK/900 DEF**

"You may have saved your Life Points somewhat, but I'm still clearing your field!" Motoyasu declared, as his gorilla struck Agathion. However, like before with Berith, nothing happened when the attack made contact.

"On the turn he's summoned this way, Agathion cannot be destroyed by battle," the boy explained.

"Say these things earlier!" Motoyasu shouted, getting even more annoyed at how late his opponent was telling him the more important things about his cards.

"You're the one who got excited for no reason," the blonde preteen muttered out.

Motoyasu didn't hear what he said and just clicked his tongue. "Whatever. Either way, there's no way you'll get something that can help you in this situation."

The boy ignored the thug's words and began his turn. "My turn. Draw." He drew his next card. "I Normal Summon Emperor Persona - Eligor." Appearing on this field was another knight and his mount. This rider was in red armor, and his steed was a black horse.

**Emperor Persona - Eligor: Level 5/DARK/Warrior/2300 ATK/1300 DEF**

Seeing this monster increased the audiences' confusion and Motoyasu's frustration.

"Hey! How the hell are you able to summon out a Level 5 monster without tributing that weak half-pint?! You can't do that!" he shouted.

"Normally I can't, that's true. However, Eligor bypasses that rule. In exchange for summoning him this way, however, his ATK and DEF gets swapped." Just as he said that, his monster glowed a blue aura, and was being weakened.

**Emperor Persona - Eligor: 2300 -} 1300 ATK/1300 -} 2300 DEF**

Seeing this brought a smirk back on Motoyasu's face. "What, is that it? You should've followed the rules, brat."

"I never said I was done," the boy calmly told him. "I now tune my Level 5 Eligor with my Level 2 Agathion." Those words shocked everyone, as Agathion's figure glowed and changed into two specks of light, which changed into green wings. "I am thou... Thou art I... Release thy rage and show the strength of thy will!" As he chanted, Eligor went through the rings and became five specks of light. A ray of light shot through the rings and the lights. "Synchro Summon. Fool Arcana - Arsene!" Now appearing on the field is a demon of some kind with two long demon horns and black wings, wearing a red outfit and a long black hat.

**Fool Arcana - Arsene: Level 7/DARK/Fiend/2500 ATK/2000 DEF**

To see a child perform a Synchro Summon in Satellite of all places was a huge shocker to everyone. Even Motoyasu was speechless.

"Next, if there is a Synchro Monster on the field, I Special Summon the Tuner Monster, Moon Persona - Selkie," Appearing next to the Synchro Monster was a blue seal with a ball on his head.

**Moon Persona - Selkie: Level 1/WATER/Aqua/600 ATK/300 DEF**

"Battle. I attack Berserk Gorilla with Arsene. **Dream Needle.**" Arsene conjured up some needles made of light. "And I activate the trap card, Shield Spear, to give Arsene an additional boost of 400 ATK and DEF."

**Fool Arcana - Arsene: 2500 + 400 = 2900 ATK/2000 + 400 = 2400 DEF**

With the extra power, Arsene obliterated Motoyasu's lone monster and dealt some damage.

**Motoyasu: 2900 LP  
****Boy: 4000 LP**

Snapped out of his stupor at his opponent's Synchro Summon, the lead thug shouted, "S-So what if you destroyed him?! I still have other cards that-"

"You won't get a next turn," the boy interrupted. "Don't you wonder why I summoned Selkie out on the field? You didn't think it was just for another Synchro Summon, did you?" Motoyasu flinched at the question, already fearing for the worse to come. "I activate my set Instant Magic, Baton Pass. This card can only activate during the Battle Phase. If a Synchro Monster I control destroys an opponent's monster by battle, if the opponent's monster's ATK is 2000 or more, I target a Tuner Monster I control. That monster's ATK becomes the same as the Synchro Monster's."

Hearing that made the thug pale up. "T-... Then..."

"Selkie's ATK becomes the same as Arsene's. And it's enough to defeat you." At those words, the seal monster grew menacingly in size.

**Moon Persona - Selkie: 600 -} 2900 ATK**

"Finish it, please," the boy requested his monster.

It obliged to the command, as it leapt up and landed on Motoyasu in a bellyflop.

**Motoyasu: 0000 LP  
****Boy: 4000 LP**

**WINNER: BOY!**

As soon as the duel was over, Motoyasu's pals gathered around him, and the holograms faded away.

"Boss!" one of them cried out, as their seemingly traumatized leader trembled on the ground.

"As promised, leave them alone," the boy reminded, turning to take his leave.

The group of teens were not having it, as they went and surrounded the kid.

"Hey! That's cowardly!" the blonde preteen shouted. "He won that duel!"

"Deal has nothing to do with him," one of the teens corrected. "This brat has to pay for what he did to boss."

The boy didn't mind. After what he went through with his father, he doubted these guys could do anything worse than what said adult had done.

Before the teens could even raise a finger against him, however, a siren was heard, causing them to flinch.

"This is Sector Security! Stop right there!" they all heard.

"Damn it! You serious?! Let's book it!" one of the thugs said.

The teens did just that, as they picked up their fallen leader and ran from the area. The boy stood frozen like a deer in headlights. He can't be seen by security. If they knew who he was, he'd be undoubtedly be taken back to his abusive father. And he came to Satellite to get away from him.

However, instead of seeing any sign of vehicles coming their way, the sirens ended, and appearing from inside one of the buildings was a boy seemingly his age, with black hair and blue eyes.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked.

"We sure are now, thanks to you and your invention," the blonde preteen answered. "Kind of wish you were here earlier, though. You missed an awesome duel!"

"Yeah, he's right!" one of the kids with him agreed.

"This guy helped protect us!" another kid said, latching onto the 'Persona' duelist, surprising the city preteen.

"And you won't believe this; he can Synchro Summon and he won without losing a Life Point!" another exclaimed, looking up at the boy in awe.

That surprised the newcomer. "Wait, seriously?! Man, I wish I was here faster!" He looked to the city boy. "So, you really helped them out back there? Thanks a lot for that! What's your name?"

"Now that he mentioned it, we never got your name," the blonde preteen pointed out.

His name... That was the one thing the boy absolutely cannot tell. But... he also can't leave the question unanswered. Then again, these guys may not really know who he is in the city. With how wrecked the place looks, it didn't look like they could get much news from tv, if they even have a working television here. But still, he can't be too sure about it. Although, if he was to live a new life in Satellite, it's only right that he uses a new name.

"I'm... Akira. Akira Kurusu."

* * *

**To those of you who know me and love Persona, or Shin Megami Tensei in general, this idea has been on my mind for quite a while. A Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's story with demons, or Personas, in it... as cards. Plus, with how the the situation was in the first half of the anime, I found it to be fitting. Considering what happens in Persona 5, where the adults are corrupted, in the first half of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, society was corrupted. ... Kind of... In a way... I thought it'd be nice to see how the protagonist of P5 would do in 5D's world... with a different backstory, of course.**

**Speaking of P5 characters, that brings me to this very question... Readers... Should I replace the Signers with the Phantom Thieves? Don't get me wrong, I like the Signers and I like the Phantom Thieves. I just do not know if I should do this story as a P5-insert character or do the whole storyline with the thieves taking the Signers places. If you readers choose the latter, I will do my best to come up with a deck that would fit each of them, OC or not. If you guys choose the latter and can help me choose a deck for each thief, that would be wonderful.**

**Ah, and before someone says anything about how the decision was practically already made, that is not entirely true. Jack and Ryuji both have blonde hair, and Morgana (Yes, I am adding him in as human, especially after the trailers we saw for Royal) and Yusei both have dark hair and blue eyes. I didn't say how blue, but they are still blue. So yeah, decision has not been made yet.**

**So, I hope you all like how this all turned out, and I hope you can put in your votes.**

**... In reviews that is, please.**


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